City takes animal shelter back

As of Monday the shelter was holding 79 dogs and approximately 15 cats, according to Bayne and SPD Assistant Chief Steven Bobo, when the shelter was turned back over. The department was working Monday to clean the facility, located on East Second Street Extension.

Grand Prairie Animal Rescue (GPAR), formerly the Stuttgart Animal Shelter, is now back in the hands of the city. The shelter will now revert back to the Stuttgart Animal Shelter under the direction of Stuttgart Animal Control Officer Jennifer Bayne and the Stuttgart Police Department.

“We were asked to take it back,” Stuttgart Mayor Marianne Maynard said Monday. “It has just gotten too big.”

As of Monday the shelter was holding 79 dogs and approximately 15 cats, according to Bayne and SPD Assistant Chief Steven Bobo, when the shelter was turned back over. The department was working Monday to clean the facility, located on East Second Street Extension.

Bayne said the department would be working in the facility to make room for all animals inside the shelter and not in outdoor pens.

“The outdoor pens will not be utilized,” Bayne said.

The department will then determine which animals will be available for adoption and which animals will be euthanized.

“We are in the process,” Bobo said when asked if the city will be taking over completely.

In March 2011 the Stuttgart City Council passed an emergency ordinance shifting control to GPAR, which was formed to make the Stuttgart shelter a no-kill facility.

The City of Stuttgart had $66,260 budgeted for animal control in its 2011 fiscal year, of which $45,585 is spent on the animal control officer’s salary, pension, FICA and Medicare tax, training and travel, uniform and worker’s compensation.

According to the city’s 2011 budget, the other $20,675 was spent on advertising, health, fire and casualty insurance, maintenance, repairs and supplies, medical, office expense, sales and use tax, utilities and miscellaneous.

It is unclear at this time what money the shelter will operate from through the city.

Look to the Daily Leader for more on adoptable animals, adoption fees and contact information in the coming days.